Fertilizer-distributer



(No'ModeL) S. W. SNEAD. FERTILIZER DISTRIBUTER.

No. 416,382. Patented Dec. 3, 1889.

I UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SAMUEL w. SNEAD, on LAUREL HILL, NORTH cARoLINA.

FERTILIZER-DISTRIBUTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 416,382, dated December 3, 1889.

Application filed August 30,1889. Serial No. 322,420. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SAMUEL W. SNEAD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Laurel Hill, in the county of Richmond and State of North Carolina, have invented a new and useful Fertilizer-Dist-ributer, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to fertilizer-distributers; and it has for its object to construct a machine of this class which shall be simple, durable, and inexpensive, and which may be easily and accurately gaged, so as to drop any desired quantity of fertilizing material to a given area of land.

WVith these ends in view the invention consists in the improved construction, arrangement, and combination of parts, which will be hereinafter fully described, and par ticularly pointed out in the claim.

In the drawings hereto annexed, Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved fertilizer-distributer. Fig.2 is alongitudinal vertical sectional view of the same. Fig. 3 is a front view.

Like numerals of reference indicate like parts in all the figures.

1 designates a rectangular frame, the side beams of which are provided on their under sides with boxes or bearings 2 2 for the axle 3, upon which the supporting-wheels 4 4 are firmly secured.

5 5 are handles which are secured at the front end of the frame and connected with the rear end of the latter by means of braces 6 6. These handles are for the purpose of guiding the machine during operation.

A pair of longitudinal bars 7 7, which connect the front and rear ends of the frame, have beveled inner sides 8 to support the hopper 9, which is mounted upon and suitably secured to the said bars. Said hopper, which is constructed in the ordinary manner with slanting downwardly converging sides, is made without a bottom and its front end terminates directly above and in front of the axle 3. To the front end of the said hopper is secured an upwardly-extending bracket 10, to the upper end of which is fulcrumed a lever 11, the rear end of which forms a handle which may be conveniently reached by the operator. The front end of the said lever is connected pivotally with a slide 12,working in staples or keepers 13 upon the front end of the hopper. To one side of the slide is sesured a spring 14,bearing against the adjacent keeper and serving by frictional contact to retain the said slide in any posit-ion to which it may be adjusted.

Between the sides of the frame, a suitable distance in rear of the hopper, is journaled a transverse shaft 15, which may be of about the same diameter as the axle. 16 designates an endless belt or apron,which is stretched tightly over the axle 3 and shaft 15 in contact with the lower edges of the side pieces of thelhopper and which receives motion from the axle when the machine in operation progresses over the field. This belt or apron practically forms the bottom of the hopper and it serves in operation to convey the contents of the hopper in a forward direction and to drop it over the axle in front of the latter.

The operation of my improved fertilizerdistributer will be readily understood from the foregoing description taken in connection with the drawings hereto annexed. The fertilizing material which is to be distributed is placed in the hopper, draft is attached, and the machine is then dragged over the field in the usual manner. By adjusting the slide 12 the size of the escape-opening between the front end of the hopper and thefront end of the'endless belt or apron may be gaged or regulated, thus regulating the quantity of fertilizing material which shall be allowed to escape through the said opening. The spring 14: upon the side of the slide will retain the latter securely in any position to which it may be adjusted. The lever by which the adjusting-slide is manipulated is at all times within convenient reach of the operator, who, by means of the handles, may guide the ma.- chine as'it passes over the field.

The general construction of the machine is simple and it may be manufactured at a moderate expense. The endless belt or apron feeds the contents of the hopper with absolute certainty and regularity and the machine is not liable to become clogged.

Having thus described my invention,l claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States- The combination of the frame, the revolvof the hopper and the endless apron, said slide being provided with a spring bearing against one of the keepers, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

SAMUEL W. SNEAT).

Witnesses:

J. MCFARLAND, J. W. WRIGHT. 

